National Occupational Standards in
Archaeological Practice

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AB3 Agree a brief

AB3.1 Assess and present a proposal for a brief

Performance Required

This will involve:

1. fully taking into account relevant investigations to establish the parameters of the brief, identifying all areas of poor information and uncertainty and obtaining additional valid information to develop a brief
2. selecting and analysing relevant and valid data and qualifying its status
3. confirming proposed project budgets and related financial data are realistic
4. seeking clear statements of agreement and position from relevant interested parties
5. producing a clear, accurate and unambiguous document setting out a summary of the brief parameters within an agreed timescale and presenting it to interested parties

Occupational Context

1. Parameters of the brief:
   • client requirements
   • user factors
   • time factors
   • physical factors
   • resource factors
   • regulatory factors
   • cost factors
   • community factors
2. Methods for selecting and analysing data:
   • comparison with similar projects
   • standard checklists
   • reference to relevant comparative research
3. Criteria for selecting data:
   • critical archaeological parameters
   • the scale and sensitivity of the project
4. Interested parties:
   • client
   • consultants
   • contractors
   • funding agencies
   • statutory and regulatory authorities
   • community
   • landowners/tenants
   • elected representatives

Knowledge Requirements

You need to know and understand how to:

• Select methods to investigate and obtain information and data to establish parameters of briefs
• Identify areas of poor and uncertain information
• Select and analyse relevant and valid data
• Establish the status of data and obtain statements of agreement and position
• Estimate projected project costs and related financial data
• Summarise and present brief parameters

You need to know about:

• Sources of information to establish parameters to briefs
• Types of analytical techniques

Required Skills

N/A

Evidence Required

You should provide evidence that you can assess and present a proposal for a brief

The candidate should be questioned, based upon the documentation provided, to explore the following

• parameters of the brief
• areas of poor information and uncertainty
• identified additional information
• cost and financial data
• statements of agreement and position from interested parties

Evidence Rules

• The candidate should have been involved in the preparation of at least 2 substantive project briefs.

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Today's date: 8/9/2008
This page last updated: 27/7/2007 16:17